VOTERS COULD EXPAND CONSERVATION DISTRICT

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

McHenry County residents can triple the land-acquisition power of their county`s conservation district following the signing of a bill Wednesday by Gov. James Thompson.

The law gives the McHenry County Conservation District power to call an election to ask voters whether the district should increase its bonding authority to as much as $24 million from the present $8 million, said Don Schellhaas, the district`s executive director.

State Sen. Jack Schaffer (R., Crystal Lake) said he hoped a referendum proposal on expanding the bonding authority would be placed on the ballot for the March primary.